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Al Balushi M, Ahmad A, Al Balushi S, Javaid S, Al-Maskari F, Abdulle A, Ali R. Sociodemographic predictors of the association between self-reported sleep duration and depression. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0003255. [PMID: 38865376 PMCID: PMC11168698 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
A growing interest has been recently reported in exploring sleep duration within psychology context in particular to its relation to some mental chronic diseases such as depression. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between self-reported sleep hours as an outcome and self-perceived depression among Emirati adults, after adjusting for sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, and employment status. We performed a cross-sectional analysis using 11,455 participants baseline data of the UAE Healthy Future Study (UAEHFS). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed with self-reported sleep hours as an outcome. The predictors were the self-reported depression by measuring the PHQ-8 score, sociodemographic factors (age, gender, marital status, and employment status) Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. In a sensitivity analysis, a multivariate imputation by chained equations (MICE) procedure was applied with classification and Regression Trees (CART) to impute missing values. Overall, 11,455 participants were included in the final analysis of this study. Participants' median age was 32.0 years (Interquartile-Range: 24.0, 39.0). There were 6,217 (54.3%) males included in this study. In total, 4,488 (63.6%) of the participants reported sleep duration of more than 7 hours. Statistically significant negative association was observed between the total PHQ-8 score as a measure for depression and binarized self-reported sleep, OR = 0.961 (95% CI: 0.948, 0.974). For one unit increase in age and BMI, the odds ratio of reporting shorter sleep was 0.979 (95% CI: 0.969, 0.990) and 0.987 (95% CI: 0.977, 0.998), respectively. The study findings indicate a correlation between self-reported depression and an increased probability of individuals reporting shorter self-perceived sleep durations especially when considering the sociodemographic factors as predictors. There was a variation in the effect of depression on sleep duration among different study groups. In particular, the association between reported sleep duration and reported depression, students and unemployed individuals have reported longer sleep hours as compared to employed participants. Also, married individuals reported a higher percentage of longer sleep duration as compared to single and unmarried ones when examined reported depression as a predictor to sleep duration. However, there was no gender differences in self-perceived sleep duration when associated with reported depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitha Al Balushi
- Public Health Research Center, New York University-Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Alain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amar Ahmad
- Public Health Research Center, New York University-Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sara Al Balushi
- Public Health Research Center, New York University-Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Sayed Javaid
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Alain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Fatma Al-Maskari
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Alain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abdishakur Abdulle
- Public Health Research Center, New York University-Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Raghib Ali
- Public Health Research Center, New York University-Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Chan JK, Marzuki AA, Vafa S, Thanaraju A, Yap J, Chan XW, Harris HA, Todi K, Schaefer A. A systematic review on the relationship between socioeconomic conditions and emotional disorder symptoms during Covid-19: unearthing the potential role of economic concerns and financial strain. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:237. [PMID: 38671542 PMCID: PMC11046828 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01715-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Covid-19 has disrupted the lives of many and resulted in high prevalence rates of mental disorders. Despite a vast amount of research into the social determinants of mental health during Covid-19, little is known about whether the results are consistent with the social gradient in mental health. Here we report a systematic review of studies that investigated how socioeconomic condition (SEC)-a multifaceted construct that measures a person's socioeconomic standing in society, using indicators such as education and income, predicts emotional health (depression and anxiety) risk during the pandemic. Furthermore, we examined which classes of SEC indicators would best predict symptoms of emotional disorders. METHODS Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted search over six databases, including Scopus, PubMed, etc., between November 4, 2021 and November 11, 2021 for studies that investigated how SEC indicators predict emotional health risks during Covid-19, after obtaining approval from PROSPERO (ID: CRD42021288508). Using Covidence as the platform, 362 articles (324 cross-sectional/repeated cross-sectional and 38 longitudinal) were included in this review according to the eligibility criteria. We categorized SEC indicators into 'actual versus perceived' and 'static versus fluid' classes to explore their differential effects on emotional health. RESULTS Out of the 1479 SEC indicators used in these 362 studies, our results showed that 43.68% of the SEC indicators showed 'expected' results (i.e., higher SEC predicting better emotional health outcomes); 51.86% reported non-significant results and 4.46% reported the reverse. Economic concerns (67.16% expected results) and financial strains (64.16%) emerged as the best predictors while education (26.85%) and living conditions (30.14%) were the worst. CONCLUSIONS This review summarizes how different SEC indicators influenced emotional health risks across 98 countries, with a total of 5,677,007 participants, ranging from high to low-income countries. Our findings showed that not all SEC indicators were strongly predictive of emotional health risks. In fact, over half of the SEC indicators studied showed a null effect. We found that perceived and fluid SEC indicators, particularly economic concerns and financial strain could best predict depressive and anxiety symptoms. These findings have implications for policymakers to further understand how different SEC classes affect mental health during a pandemic in order to tackle associated social issues effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jee Kei Chan
- Department of Psychology, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
- Department of Psychology, Sunway University Malaysia, Jalan Universiti, No 5, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
- Sunway University Malaysia, Room: 4-4-11, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, 47500, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Aleya A Marzuki
- Department of Psychology, Sunway University Malaysia, Jalan Universiti, No 5, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Samira Vafa
- Department of Psychology, Sunway University Malaysia, Jalan Universiti, No 5, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Arjun Thanaraju
- Department of Psychology, Sunway University Malaysia, Jalan Universiti, No 5, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Jie Yap
- Department of Psychology, Sunway University Malaysia, Jalan Universiti, No 5, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Xiou Wen Chan
- Department of Psychology, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Hanis Atasha Harris
- Department of Psychology, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Khushi Todi
- Department of Psychology, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Alexandre Schaefer
- Department of Psychology, Sunway University Malaysia, Jalan Universiti, No 5, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
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Samah T. Identifying health research in the era of COVID-19: A scoping review. SAGE Open Med 2023; 11:20503121231180030. [PMID: 37324118 PMCID: PMC10262656 DOI: 10.1177/20503121231180030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Health improvements are considered one of the most important fields of research. Since the coronavirus disease 2019 was declared a pandemic, it might have impacted clinical and public health research in various forms. Objectives The goal of this study is to explore health research approaches in the era of coronavirus disease 2019. Methods In this scoping review, we reviewed published medical full-text studies and identified potential areas of interest of health research in the era the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic during the last 3 years within a higher educational setting. A bibliometric analysis was used to compare among published works. Results Among the 93 studies that met the inclusion criteria, most focused on mental health (n = 23; 24.7%). Twenty-one publications targeted coronavirus disease 2019 and its consequences on general health. Other studies have described hemato-oncological, cardiovascular, respiratory, and endocrinological diseases. 42 studies were cross-sectional or cohort studies and most of them published in Q1 journals. Almost half of them belonged to the Faculty of Medicine (49.5%) followed by the School of Arts, Sciences, and Psychology (26.9%). Conclusions Health research has been demonstrated to be important, at all times, especially during crises. Therefore, researchers need to invest more efforts into seeking new medical updates in various health-related fields, regardless of their correlation with coronavirus disease 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tawil Samah
- School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
- Institut National de Santé Publique d’Épidémiologie Clinique et de Toxicologie-Liban (INSPECT-LB), Beirut, Lebanon
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Basheti IA, Barqawi H, Nassar RI, Thiab S, Atatreh N, Abu-Gharbieh E. The Effects of Medications and the Roles of Pharmacists on the Recovery of Patients with COVID-19 Infection: An Epidemiological Study from the United Arab Emirates. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11040467. [PMID: 36833001 PMCID: PMC9957395 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11040467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients infected with coronavirus have new experiences and hence new needs from the healthcare sector. Acknowledging patients' experiences can exhibit promising outcomes in coronavirus management. Pharmacists are considered a vital pillar in managing patients' experiences during their infection. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the experiences of COVID-19-infected individuals and the roles of pharmacists in the United Arab Emirates. The survey was face- and content-validated after being developed. Three sections were included in the survey (demographics, experiences of infected individuals, and the roles of pharmacists). Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The study participants (n = 509) had a mean age of 34.50 (SD = 11.93). The most reported symptoms among participants were fatigue (81.5%), fever (76.8%), headache (76.6%), dry cough (74.1%), muscle or joint pain (70.7%), and sore throat (68.6%). Vitamin C was the most used supplement (88.6%), followed by pain relievers (78.2%). Female gender was the only factor associated with symptom severity. About 79.0% agreed that the pharmacist played an important and effective role during their infection. The most reported symptom was fatigue, with females reporting more severe symptoms. The role of the pharmacist proved to be vital during this pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman A. Basheti
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman 11931, Jordan
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +962-6560-9999 (ext. 1510) or +962-79770-8060
| | - Hiba Barqawi
- Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Razan I. Nassar
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman 11931, Jordan
| | - Samar Thiab
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman 11931, Jordan
| | - Noor Atatreh
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi 64141, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi 64141, United Arab Emirates
| | - Eman Abu-Gharbieh
- Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
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Cheng C, Ying W. A meta-analytic review of the associations between dimensions of religious coping and psychological symptoms during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1097598. [PMID: 36741121 PMCID: PMC9894651 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1097598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the unknown etiology and treatment of the highly transmissible coronavirus posed considerable threats to public mental health. Many people around the globe turned to religion as an attempt to mitigate their heightened psychological distress, but mixed findings have been obtained regarding the association between the use of religious coping and two psychological symptoms-anxiety and depressive symptoms-widely reported in the initial wave. OBJECTIVE The present meta-analysis was conducted to resolve the empirical inconsistency by synthesizing this body of studies and identifying both individual and national-level factors that accounted for the inconsistent findings. METHODS Following PRISMA guidelines, the literature search and data screening procedures yielded 42 eligible studies, with 25,438 participants (58% females, average age = 36.50 years) from 24 countries spanning seven world regions. RESULTS Overall, the results showed that only negative religious coping was positively associated with psychological symptoms (r = 0.2886, p < 0.0001). Although the associations of both general and positive religious coping with psychological symptoms were non-significant (rs = 0.0425 and -0.0240, ps > 0.39), the moderation analysis revealed significant positive associations between positive religious coping and psychological symptoms in two demographic groups who experienced greater pandemic distress than their counterparts: younger participants and female participants. DISCUSSION This meta-analysis provides a nuanced understanding of the complex nature of religious coping in the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic when the levels of public anxiety and stress were heightened. The exclusive use of religious coping may not be associated with low levels of psychological symptoms, implying the importance of supplementing the deployment of this strategy with an array of other strategies. Therapists of mental health interventions should show their clients how to make good use of positive religious coping together with other strategies, and how to avoid the use of negative religious coping, to handle their psychological problems. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION https://osf.io/shb32/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Cheng
- Social and Health Psychology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Weijun Ying
- Department of Education, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Al Dweik R, Rahman MA, Ahamed FM, Ramada H, Al Sheble Y, ElTaher S, Cross W, Elsori D. COVID-19: Psychological distress, fear, and coping strategies among community members across the United Arab Emirates. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282479. [PMID: 36989272 PMCID: PMC10057807 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the psychosocial well-being of the United Arab Emirates [UAE] population like other communities internationally. OBJECTIVES We aimed to identify the factors associated with psychological distress, fear, and coping amongst community members across the UAE. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional online survey across the UAE during November 2020. Adults aged ≥18 years, living in the UAE who were able to respond to an online questionnaire in English or Arabic were considered eligible to participate in the study. We used standard validated tools to measure psychological distress, fear and coping. Kessler Psychological Distress Scale [K10] was used to assess psychological distress, Fear of COVID-19 Scale [FCV-19S] was used to assess the level of fear, and Brief Resilient Coping Scale [BRCS] was used to assess the coping strategies. RESULTS A total of 417 individuals participated in this study with a mean age of 29 [± 10.7] years. More than half of the participants experienced high to very high levels of psychological distress [55%] and a quarter experienced high levels of fear of COVID-19 [23.3%] with almost a third of them [36.2%] having low resilient coping. About 37.4% of the participants had work-related mental health impacts and 32.4% were perceived to have moderate to a great deal of distress due to a change of employment status during the pandemic. One in ten participants [9.4%] reported increased smoking. Increased smoking [AOR 8.66, 95% CIs 1.08-69.1,], increased alcohol drinking [AOR 2.39, 95% CIs 1.05-5.47] and higher levels of fear of COVID-19 [AOR 2.93, 95% CIs 1.83-4.67] were associated with moderate to very high levels of psychological distress. Being female [AOR 1.82, p = 0.030], having a pre-existing mental health condition [AOR 9.88, 95% p = 0.027], engaging in high-risk behaviors such as increased smoking [AOR 21.14, p = 0.003], increased alcohol drinking [AOR 1.48, p = 0.359] in the previous four weeks, and higher levels of fear of COVID-19 [AOR 4.18, p <0.001] were associated with moderate to very high levels of psychological distress. Also, being a smoker [AOR, 0.840, p = 0.011], and having a high level of fear [AOR 0.372, p = 0.001] were found to be associated with low resilient coping. CONCLUSION Community members in the UAE are at a higher risk of psychosocial distress and fear during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, healthcare providers and policymakers would need to be more alert to provide specific mental health support strategies for their wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rania Al Dweik
- College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Muhammad Aziz Rahman
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia, Berwick, VIC, Australia
- Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | | | - Heba Ramada
- College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Yousef Al Sheble
- School of Dentistry, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Sondos ElTaher
- Epidemiology Department, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Wendy Cross
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia, Berwick, VIC, Australia
| | - Deena Elsori
- Faculty of Resilience, Rabdan Academy, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Vajpeyi Misra A, Mamdouh HM, Dani A, Mitchell V, Hussain HY, Ibrahim GM, Alnakhi WK. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of university students in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychol 2022; 10:312. [PMID: 36527101 PMCID: PMC9756732 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-022-00986-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the mental well-being of students worldwide. There is a scarcity of information on the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aimed to investigate the mental health impact of the COVID-19, including depression, anxiety and resilience among a sample of university students in the UAE. METHODS A cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted from September to November 2021. The patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) were used to assess depression, anxiety, and resilience. The COVID-19 impact was assessed using a list of questions. RESULTS Only, 798 students completed the survey and were analyzed for this study. Overall, 74.8% of the students were females, 91.2% were never married, and 66.3% were UAE-nationals. Based on PHQ-9 and GAD-7 cut-off scores (≥ 10), four out of ten of the students self-reported moderate to severe depression (40.9%) and anxiety (39.1%). Significantly higher mean PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores were found among students who were impacted by COVID-19 than those non-impacted (mean PHQ-9 = 9.51 ± 6.39 and 6.80 ± 6.34; p = 0.001, respectively) and (mean GAD-7 = 9.03 ± 6.00 and 8.54 ± 6.02; respectively, p < 0.001). Female students who were impacted by COVID-19 had statistically significant higher depression and anxiety scores (mean PHQ-9 of 9.14 ± 5.86 vs. 6.83 ± 6.25, respectively; p < 0.001) than the non-impacted females (mean GAD-7 of 9.57 ± 6.32 vs. 5.15 ± 3.88, respectively; p = 0.005). Never married students had significantly higher PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores than ever-married (9.31 ± 6.37 vs. 6.93 ± 5.47, P = 0.003) and (8.89 ± 6.11 vs. 7.13 ± 5.49, respectively; p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health of this sample of university students in terms of depression and anxiety. The results highlight the need to adopt culturally appropriate interventions for university students and focus on vulnerable groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamika Vajpeyi Misra
- grid.444463.50000 0004 1796 4519Department of Health Sciences- Social Work Program, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Heba M. Mamdouh
- grid.414167.10000 0004 1757 0894Department of Data Analysis, Research and Studies, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE ,grid.7155.60000 0001 2260 6941Department of Family Health, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Anita Dani
- grid.444463.50000 0004 1796 4519General Academic Requirement (General Studies), Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Vivienne Mitchell
- grid.444463.50000 0004 1796 4519Department of Health Sciences- Social Work Program, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Hamid Y. Hussain
- grid.414167.10000 0004 1757 0894Department of Data Analysis, Research and Studies, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE
| | - Gamal M. Ibrahim
- grid.414167.10000 0004 1757 0894Department of Data Analysis, Research and Studies, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE
| | - Wafa K. Alnakhi
- grid.414167.10000 0004 1757 0894Department of Data Analysis, Research and Studies, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE ,grid.510259.a0000 0004 5950 6858Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE
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Delpino FM, da Silva CN, Jerônimo JS, Mulling ES, da Cunha LL, Weymar MK, Alt R, Caputo EL, Feter N. Prevalence of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis of over 2 million people. J Affect Disord 2022; 318:272-282. [PMID: 36096370 PMCID: PMC9462928 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Uncertainty, disruptions in daily routines, and concerns for the health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic are likely associated with increases in generalized anxiety. The present study aimed to systematically review the literature in order to identify the update prevalence of anxiety in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS A systematic review and meta-analysis. It included studies that assessed the prevalence of anxiety among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS In total, we included 194 studies. The general prevalence of anxiety was 35.1 %, affecting approximately 851,000 participants. The prevalence in low and middle-income countries (35.1 %; 95%CI: 29.5 % to 41.0 %) was similar compared to high-income countries (34.7 %; 95%CI: 29.6 % to 40.1 %). In studies that provided the proportion of cases in each level of anxiety disorder, mild-to-moderate anxiety affected one quarter of the participants. One in ten cases with anxiety during the COVID-19 may be living with severe or extremely anxiety disorder. Most instruments estimated similar prevalence of anxiety disorders with notable difference in the prevalence estimated by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item (GAD-2), Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). CONCLUSION One in three adults were living with anxiety disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Mendes Delpino
- Postgraduate Program in Nursing, Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | | | - Jeferson Santos Jerônimo
- Postgraduate Program in Physical Education, Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Eliete Stark Mulling
- Postgraduate Program in Physical Education, Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Larissa Leal da Cunha
- Postgraduate Program in Physical Education, Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Marina Krause Weymar
- Postgraduate Program in Physical Education, Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Alt
- Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Eduardo L. Caputo
- Postgraduate Program in Physical Education, Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Natan Feter
- Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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Al Blooshi M, Al Ameri T, Al Marri M, Ahmad A, Leinberger-Jabari A, Abdulle A, Taimah M, Al Zaabi T, Al Remeithi K, Al Hosani A, Sherman S, Ali R. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on depression and anxiety symptoms: Findings from the United Arab Emirates Healthy Future (UAEHFS) cohort study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277684. [PMID: 36383551 PMCID: PMC9668125 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Significant concerns about mental health were raised during the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among the participants of the United Arab Emirates Healthy Future Study (UAEHFS); a national cohort study. We further explored the change in the prevalence of depression symptoms among those with comparable pre-pandemic data. METHODS A sample of UAEHFS participants were invited to complete a COVID-19 online questionnaire during the first wave of the pandemic. Depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale (PHQ-8) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale (GAD-7) respectively. Unpaired analyses were done to examine the effect of COVID-19 on depression and anxiety symptoms during the pandemic. Paired analysis was conducted to examine the change in depression symptoms. RESULTS During the pandemic, we reported a prevalence of 32.8% (95% CI: 27.0, 39.1) for depression and 26.4% (95% CI: 21.0, 32.6) for anxiety symptoms. Younger people reported higher levels of depression (40.4%) and anxiety (34.5%) symptoms. Females reported higher levels of depression (36.5%) and anxiety (32.7%) symptoms. In paired analysis, the prevalence of depression symptoms during the pandemic was 34% (95% CI: 26.5, 42.4) compared to 29.9% (95% CI: 22.7, 38.1) before the pandemic. No statistically significant difference was observed, p-value = 0.440. Adjusted multivariate logistic regression models for PHQ-8 and GAD-7 during the pandemic showed that participants, who were experiencing flu-like symptoms, had higher odds of reporting depression symptoms compared to those without symptoms. Additionally, age was significantly negatively associated with anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we found that depression and anxiety symptoms were more prevalent among young people and females. However, we did not find a significant change in the prevalence of depression symptoms among those with comparable pre-pandemic data. Identifying vulnerable groups and understanding trajectories through longitudinal studies would help with planning for effective mental health interventions for the current and future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manal Al Blooshi
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Maryam Al Marri
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amar Ahmad
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | | | | | - Manal Taimah
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Thekra Al Zaabi
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | | | | | - Scott Sherman
- New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Raghib Ali
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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10
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Schippers MC, Ioannidis JPA, Joffe AR. Aggressive measures, rising inequalities, and mass formation during the COVID-19 crisis: An overview and proposed way forward. Front Public Health 2022; 10:950965. [PMID: 36159300 PMCID: PMC9491114 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.950965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
A series of aggressive restrictive measures were adopted around the world in 2020-2022 to attempt to prevent SARS-CoV-2 from spreading. However, it has become increasingly clear the most aggressive (lockdown) response strategies may involve negative side-effects such as a steep increase in poverty, hunger, and inequalities. Several economic, educational, and health repercussions have fallen disproportionately on children, students, young workers, and especially on groups with pre-existing inequalities such as low-income families, ethnic minorities, and women. This has led to a vicious cycle of rising inequalities and health issues. For example, educational and financial security decreased along with rising unemployment and loss of life purpose. Domestic violence surged due to dysfunctional families being forced to spend more time with each other. In the current narrative and scoping review, we describe macro-dynamics that are taking place because of aggressive public health policies and psychological tactics to influence public behavior, such as mass formation and crowd behavior. Coupled with the effect of inequalities, we describe how these factors can interact toward aggravating ripple effects. In light of evidence regarding the health, economic and social costs, that likely far outweigh potential benefits, the authors suggest that, first, where applicable, aggressive lockdown policies should be reversed and their re-adoption in the future should be avoided. If measures are needed, these should be non-disruptive. Second, it is important to assess dispassionately the damage done by aggressive measures and offer ways to alleviate the burden and long-term effects. Third, the structures in place that have led to counterproductive policies should be assessed and ways should be sought to optimize decision-making, such as counteracting groupthink and increasing the level of reflexivity. Finally, a package of scalable positive psychology interventions is suggested to counteract the damage done and improve humanity's prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaéla C. Schippers
- Department of Technology and Operations Management, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands,*Correspondence: Michaéla C. Schippers
| | - John P. A. Ioannidis
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States,Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States,Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States,Department of Statistics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States,Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford (METRICS), Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Ari R. Joffe
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stollery Children's Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada,John Dossetor Health Ethics Center, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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11
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Kim C, Ahmed O, Silva WAD, Park CHK, Yoo S, Chung S. Applicability and Psychometric Comparison of the General-Population Viral Anxiety Rating Scales among Healthcare Workers in the COVID-19 Pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:9946. [PMID: 36011584 PMCID: PMC9407985 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19169946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We aimed to explore the reliability and validity of viral anxiety rating scales (developed for the general population) among healthcare workers. In addition, we compared the psychometric properties of rating scales in accordance with the Generalized Anxiety Scale-7 items (GAD-7) during this COVID-19 pandemic. The viral anxiety of 330 healthcare workers was measured with Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-9 items (SAVE-9), SAVE-6, Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), and COVID-19 Anxiety Scale (CAS-7). Factor analyses, item response theory, and Rasch model analyses were conducted to confirm the construct validities of the scales and compare the psychometric properties of rating scales. The receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis examined the cutoff scores of rating scales in accordance with a mild degree of generalized anxiety. The SAVE-9, SAVE-6, CAS, FCV-19S, and CAS-7 scales showed good reliability of internal consistency among healthcare workers. Their construct validity and convergent validity of each scale were similarly good. Furthermore, in comparing the psychometric properties of rating scales, we observed that the CAS scale was the most discriminating and difficult among the scales. The CAS and FCV-19S provided more information and were more efficient than the SAVE-9, SAVE-6, and CAS-7 scales when they were used to measure healthcare workers' viral anxiety. Viral anxiety rating scales can be applied to healthcare workers with good reliability and validity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changnam Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University of Medicine, Changwon 06351, Korea
| | - Oli Ahmed
- Department of Psychology, University of Chittagong, Chattogram 4331, Bangladesh
- National Center for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia
| | | | - C. Hyung Keun Park
- Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Soyoung Yoo
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Seockhoon Chung
- Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea
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Almeqbaali M, Ouhbi S, Serhani MA, Amiri L, Jan RK, Zaki N, Sharaf A, Al Helali A, Almheiri E. A Biofeedback-Based Mobile App With Serious Games for Young Adults With Anxiety in the United Arab Emirates: Development and Usability Study. JMIR Serious Games 2022; 10:e36936. [PMID: 35916692 PMCID: PMC9382548 DOI: 10.2196/36936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Following the outbreak of COVID-19, several studies have reported that young adults encountered a rise in anxiety symptoms, which could negatively affect their quality of life. Promising evidence suggests that mobile apps with biofeedback, serious games, breathing exercises, and positive messaging, among other features, are useful for anxiety self-management and treatment. Objective This study aimed to develop and evaluate the usability of a biofeedback-based app with serious games for young adults with anxiety in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods This study consists of two phases: Phase I describes the design and development of the app, while Phase II presents the results of a usability evaluation by experts. To elicit the app’s requirements during Phase I, we conducted (1) a survey to investigate preferences of young adults in the UAE for mobile games for stress relief; (2) an analysis of serious games for anxiety; and (3) interviews with mental health professionals and young adults in the UAE. In Phase II, five experts tested the usability of the developed app using a set of Nielsen’s usability heuristics. Results A fully functional biofeedback-based app with serious games was co-designed with mental health professionals. The app included 4 games (ie, a biofeedback game, card game, arcade game, and memory game), 2 relaxation techniques (ie, a breathing exercise and yoga videos), and 2 additional features (ie, positive messaging and a mood tracking calendar). The results of Phase II showed that the developed app is efficient, simple, and easy to use. Overall, the app design scored an average of 4 out of 5. Conclusions The elicitation techniques used in Phase I resulted in the development of an easy-to-use app for the self-management of anxiety. Further research is required to determine the app’s usability and effectiveness in the target population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Almeqbaali
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, College of Information Technology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sofia Ouhbi
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, College of Information Technology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohamed Adel Serhani
- Department of Information Systems and Security, College of Information Technology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Leena Amiri
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Reem K Jan
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Nazar Zaki
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, College of Information Technology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ayman Sharaf
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, College of Information Technology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abdulla Al Helali
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Eisa Almheiri
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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13
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Halouani N, Gdoura D, Chaari I, Moussa N, Msaad S, Kamoun S, Ellouze S, Turki M, Aloulou J. [Anxiety, depression and stress-related disorders in post Covid-19: A Tunisian study]. ANNALES MEDICO-PSYCHOLOGIQUES 2022:S0003-4487(22)00211-6. [PMID: 35855680 PMCID: PMC9279388 DOI: 10.1016/j.amp.2022.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES - Our study aimed to assess anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder in post coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and identify associated factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS - Our study is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study carried out during the period from March 1 to May 15th 2021 on patients who were hospitalized and discharged from the Covid-19 unit in the pneumology department at the Hedi Chaker hospital in Sfax (Tunisia). Patients who met all of the following criteria were included: aged 18 and over; having a diagnosis of Covid-19 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or by CT scan; monitored at the Covid-19 unit and who their clinical conditions did not require intensive care; survivors after 3 months of leaving the service; and having given their informed and informal consent to participate in the study. RESULTS - Our study included 154 patients. The prevalence of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder was 24.7%, 11% and 13.6% respectively. We found an association between depression and female gender (p= 0.025), gastrointestinal involvement (p= 0.002) and stigma (p= 0.002). We found an association between anxiety and grade level (p= 0.034), and between anxiety and asthenia (p= 0.032). CONCLUSIONS - Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder were independent of the majority of disease characteristics including the severity of Covid-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najla Halouani
- Service de psychiatrie « B », CHU Hédi Chaker, 3029, Sfax, Tunisie
| | - Dorra Gdoura
- Service de psychiatrie « B », CHU Hédi Chaker, 3029, Sfax, Tunisie
| | - Imen Chaari
- Service de psychiatrie « B », CHU Hédi Chaker, 3029, Sfax, Tunisie
| | - Nedia Moussa
- Service de pneumologie, CHU Hédi Chaker, 3029, Sfax, Tunisie
| | - Sameh Msaad
- Service de pneumologie, CHU Hédi Chaker, 3029, Sfax, Tunisie
| | - Samy Kamoun
- Service de pneumologie, CHU Hédi Chaker, 3029, Sfax, Tunisie
| | - Sahar Ellouze
- Service de psychiatrie « B », CHU Hédi Chaker, 3029, Sfax, Tunisie
| | - Mariem Turki
- Service de psychiatrie « B », CHU Hédi Chaker, 3029, Sfax, Tunisie
| | - Jihen Aloulou
- Service de psychiatrie « B », CHU Hédi Chaker, 3029, Sfax, Tunisie
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Validation study of a wellbeing scale (SPANE) in the Arab Gulf region: A multicountry study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268027. [PMID: 35576519 PMCID: PMC9110032 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) is an emerging wellbeing scale to measure the frequency of positive and negative emotions. This study explores the psychometric properties of SPANE on a sample from the Arab Gulf region. The Arab Gulf region shares cultural elements with the broader Muslim and Arab world, but maintains distinct features that warrants validation studies for psychological instruments. There were 1393 participants from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and other Arab Gulf countries. The factorial structure of SPANE was examined using a principal axis factor analysis, followed up with a confirmatory factor analysis. The convergent validity was examined by correlating SPANE with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The findings confirmed a two-factor structure of SPANE, and demonstrated adequate psychometric properties and convergent validity. In conclusion, this study indicates that SPANE shows sufficient validity for use as a measure of wellbeing in the Arab Gulf region.
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Alcohol Consumption, Loneliness, Quality of Life, Social Media Usage and General Anxiety before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Singapore. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19095636. [PMID: 35565030 PMCID: PMC9105322 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19095636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
This cross-sectional study aims to identify factors associated with anxiety levels of adults living in Singapore before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected using a web-based survey conducted from July to November 2020, accruing 264 eligible participants. Ordered logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), ranked as minimal (0-4), mild (5-9), moderate (10-14), and severe (15-21) before and during the pandemic. About 74% of participants were female, 50% were aged 25-34, and 50% were married. The GAD-7 level went up from the pre-pandemic for moderate (12.5% to 16%) and severe GAD (2% to 11%). Alcohol consumption (AOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.04-3.06), loneliness (AOR 1.28, 95% CI 1.05-1.54), and difficulty in switching off social media (AOR 2.21, 95% CI 1.29-3.79) predicted increased GAD-7 levels. The quality of life (AOR 0.84, 95% CI 0.79-0.90) was significantly associated with decreased GAD-7 levels. The results heighten the awareness that early initiation of mental health support is crucial for the population in addition to the various financial support measures provided by the government as they are adapting to live with the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Al Anouti F, Thomas J, Karras S, El Asswad N. Outdoor Activity in the Daytime, but Not the Nighttime, Predicts Better Mental Health Status During the COVID-19 Curfew in the United Arab Emirates. Front Public Health 2022; 10:829362. [PMID: 35444992 PMCID: PMC9013851 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.829362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated infection prevention and control measures had a negative impact on the mental health of many people. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), infection control measures implemented after March 24th, 2020, placed necessary restrictions on people's freedom of movement. Aim This study aimed to assess the association between levels of daytime vs. nighttime outdoor activity and mental health among a sample of UAE residents during the lockdown period. Method An opportunity sample of 245 participants completed an online survey assessing levels of depression, somatic symptoms, daytime and nighttime activity levels. Results Multivariate logistic regression revealed that daytime activity, but not nighttime activity, was associated with a lower risk of clinically significant depressive and somatic symptomatology. Conclusion The association of better mental health with daytime not nighttime outdoor activity could be possibly attributed to vitamin D, but further studies are needed to confirm this speculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatme Al Anouti
- Department of Health Sciences, College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- *Correspondence: Fatme Al Anouti
| | - Justin Thomas
- Department of Psychology, College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Spyridon Karras
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, First Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nour El Asswad
- School of Global Health, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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17
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Impacts of Emergency Remote Teaching on College Students Amid COVID-19 in the UAE. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19052979. [PMID: 35270670 PMCID: PMC8910722 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19052979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
With the aim of appraising the impact of Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) amidst the COVID-19 pandemic on college students, an online survey was conducted in December 2020 on a total of 588 undergraduate students at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. The purpose of the study was to probe into the perceptions of college students regarding their learning process and its influence on their mental health with the abrupt transition from face-to-face classes to ERT in the Spring 2020 semester. A comprehensive analysis was performed using structural equation modeling and other statistical techniques to reveal crucial results associated with the factors that have an effect on the students’ psychological distress, such as quality of courses, academic performance, and readiness for future work or studies. Findings suggest that the students’ perceived quality of courses under ERT has a significant impact on their academic performance and readiness for future work or studies. Moreover, they indicate that these factors serve as a vital mediating role in provoking psychological distress among the students. The study also shows that gender, previous history of anxiety/distress, education being at risk due to financial issues caused by COVID-19, and year of study significantly affect the students’ distress levels. In order to ensure and prioritize the well-being of college students during these turbulent times, new strategies are urgently needed to develop and enhance resilient ERT environments in higher education. The study concludes with limitations and suggestions for further research.
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COVID-19 vs. terrorism: Contribution of the COR theory to the process of coping with invisible threats. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 147:176-182. [PMID: 35051716 PMCID: PMC8753990 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 01/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Two years have passed since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The entire world is still struggling with the virus and its mutations, and governments have been imposing various restrictions, including social distancing and quarantine. This paper leans on the Conservation of Resources (COR) theoretical model in comparing the impact of COVID-19 with that of an ongoing threat of terror attacks, allowing us to understand the similarities and differences between them. Such exploration could result in an understanding that may guide devising psycho-social interventions to minimize the negative psychological consequences of a continuous life-threatening situation. By applying the extensive available literature on the aftermath of terrorist attacks to the little-known long-run consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper comes up with several guidelines such as increasing online social support and enhancing adaptive coping with stress, that are applicable on the individual, community, and societal levels.
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Yıldırım M, Arslan G, Alkahtani AM. Do fear of COVID-19 and religious coping predict depression, anxiety, and stress among the Arab population during health crisis? DEATH STUDIES 2022; 46:2070-2076. [PMID: 33555985 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2021.1882617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The roles of fear of COVID-19 and religious coping were examined in relation to depression, anxiety, and stress. Participants (N = 259; 88% female; Mage = 32.96, SD = 8.88) completed measures of fear of COVID-19, religious coping, depression, anxiety, and stress. Results showed that fear of COVID-19 was associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Negative religious coping was associated with depression, anxiety, and stress while positive religious coping was only associated with depression and stress. Fear of COVID-19 and negative religious coping may be detrimental to mental health while positive religious coping may reduce depression and stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murat Yıldırım
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science and Letters, Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University, Merkez, Turkey
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Liecester, Liecester, United Kingdom
| | - Gökmen Arslan
- Department of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkey
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20
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Kira IA, Shuwiekh HA, Alhuwailah A, Balaghi D. Does COVID-19 Type III Continuous Existential Trauma Deplete the Traditional Coping, Diminish Health and Mental Health, and Kindle Spirituality?: An Exploratory Study on Arab Countries. JOURNAL OF LOSS & TRAUMA 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/15325024.2021.2006501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim A. Kira
- Center for Cumulative Trauma Studies, Stone Mountain, GA, USA
- Affiliate of Center for Stress, Trauma and Resiliency, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Khaled SM, Amro I, Bader L, Woodruff P, Alabdulla MA, Bellaj T, Marzouk Y, Hasan Y, Al-Kaabi IM, Haddad PM. Factors associated with depression and anxiety in the adult population of Qatar after the first COVID-19 wave: a cross-sectional study. DISCOVER PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [PMCID: PMC8686347 DOI: 10.1007/s44202-021-00009-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
There is limited data from Arabic-speaking countries on risk factors for depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Country-specific data is necessary given differences in culture, demographics, and COVID-19 infection and mortality rates. The main purpose of the study is to identify the factors associated with symptoms of depression-anxiety in the adult population of Qatar during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey in Qatar between July and December 2020 after Qatar’s first COVID-19 wave and before the beginning of the second wave. Depression-anxiety was defined as a cut-off of 20 or higher on the Patient Health Questionnaire-Anxiety Depression Scale (PHQ-ADS). Of 1138 participants, 71.0% were female, 69.0% Arabs, 70.0% Non-Qataris, and 77.0% were < 40 years (the median age in Qatar is 32 years). In a fully-adjusted model, six variables were significantly associated with moderate-to-severe levels of depression or anxiety on the PHQ-ADS; Arab ethnicity (OR = 1.67, p = 0.026), never married versus married (OR = 1.69, p = 0.015), prior history of psychiatric disorder versus no history (OR = 1.80, p = 0.009), increased worries due to social media use for COVID-related news/updates (OR = 1.72, p = 0.003), a history of COVID-19 (OR = 1.76, p = 0.039), loneliness (OR = 1.91, p < 0.001), and lower levels of religiosity (OR = 0.96, p = 0.039). These associations also pertained in the reduced model, with the exception of religiosity which was only marginally statistically significant (OR = 0.97, p = 0.055). The potential risk factors identified may assist with anxiety and depression prevention in future COVID-19 waves, and similar national events, and assist with early intervention to treat sufferers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma Mawfek Khaled
- Social and Economic Survey Research Institute –SESRI, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Iman Amro
- Social and Economic Survey Research Institute –SESRI, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Lina Bader
- Social and Economic Survey Research Institute –SESRI, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Peter Woodruff
- University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN UK
| | - Majid A. Alabdulla
- Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar
- Clinical Science Department, College of Medicine, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Tarek Bellaj
- College of Art and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Yousri Marzouk
- College of Art and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Youssef Hasan
- College of Art and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box: 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Peter M. Haddad
- Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar
- Clinical Science Department, College of Medicine, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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22
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Saddik B, Hussein A, Albanna A, Elbarazi I, Al-Shujairi A, Temsah MH, Saheb Sharif-Askari F, Stip E, Hamid Q, Halwani R. The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults and children in the United Arab Emirates: a nationwide cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry 2021; 21:224. [PMID: 33941119 PMCID: PMC8090921 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-021-03213-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The psychosocial impact of previous infectious disease outbreaks in adults has been well documented, however, there is limited information on the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults and children in the United Arab Emirate (UAE) community. The aim of this study was to explore anxiety levels among adults and children in the UAE and to identify potential risk and protective factors for well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Using a web-based cross-sectional survey we collected data from 2200 self-selected, assessed volunteers and their children. Demographic information, knowledge and beliefs about COVID-19, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) using the (GAD-7) scale, emotional problems in children using the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), worry and fear about COVID-19, coping mechanisms and general health information were collected. Descriptive analysis was carried out to summarize demographic and participant characteristics, Chi-square analysis to explore associations between categorical variables and anxiety levels and multivariable binary logistic regression analysis to determine predictors of anxiety levels in adults and emotional problems in children. RESULTS The overall prevalence of GAD in the general population was 71% with younger people (59.8%) and females (51.7%) reporting highest levels of anxiety. Parents who were teachers reported the highest percentage of emotional problems in children (26.7%). Adjusted multivariable logistic regression for GAD-7 scores showed that being female, high levels of worry associated with COVID-19, intention to take the COVID-19 vaccine and smoking were associated with higher levels of anxiety. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression for SDQ showed that higher emotional problems were reported for children in lower and higher secondary education, and parents who had severe anxiety were seven times more likely to report emotional problems in their children. CONCLUSIONS This study reports the psychological impact of COVID-19 among adults and children in the UAE and highlights the significant association between parental and child anxiety. Findings suggest the urgency for policy makers to develop effective screening and coping strategies for parents and especially children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basema Saddik
- Department of Family and Community Medicine and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates ,Sharjah Institute of Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amal Hussein
- Department of Family and Community Medicine and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ammar Albanna
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Center of Excellence, Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ,Mohamed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Iffat Elbarazi
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Arwa Al-Shujairi
- Sharjah Institute of Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohamad-Hani Temsah
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ,Prince Abdullah Ben Khaled Celiac Disease Research Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Emmanuel Stip
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Qutayba Hamid
- Sharjah Institute of Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates ,Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rabih Halwani
- Sharjah Institute of Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. .,Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
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